India’s Rajya Sabha disrupts over NRC

Assam TMC president resigns

Business in the upper house was disrupted for the fourth straight day, on the issue of the National Register of Citizens, final draft for the state of Assam, reports Indian media DD news.Kahkashan Parveen, who is on the panel of vice-chairpersons of the House, took the chair in the upper house for the first time.In the Lok Sabha, question hour addressed a number of important issues, including the state of the shipping industry.Thursday saw business in the Rajya Sabha being held up for the fourth straight day due to opposition's ruckus..Proceedings in the Upper House remained smooth till the afternoon.A short duration discussion on MSP of Kharif crops and farming challenges was scheduled to be held during the post-lunch session.BJP chief Amit Shah was set to put across his views as part of the discussion but before it could begin Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the Assam NRC issue saying it should be further discussed in the house and home minister should respond to it.The govt said it was always prepared to discuss the NRC issue further and respond to it but the opposition did not allow it to happen..TMC members once again started raising a din over the issue forcing the upper house to be adjourned for the day.Meanwhile, JD(U)'s Kahkashan Parveen was included in Rajya Sabha's vice-chairperson's panel this year on International Women's Day. She has served as Bhagalpur's mayor apart from being Bihar women's commission chief. The way she conducted proceedings in the Upper House on Thursday proved to be notable.Meanwhile, it was business as usual in the Lok Sabha. Question hour saw many ministers replying to people centric queries by members.Union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said that the Indian shipping industry is also going through a rough patch like the rest of the world and the govt is taking several steps to buck the trend.Responding to another question minister of state for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav informed that by 2019..all settlements will be connected using mettle roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.Looking back at previous parliament sessions..it's apparent that Rajya Sabha has been impacted far more than the Lok Sabha by the opposition's disruptive tactics.On Wednesday, while honouring outstanding parliamentarians at a ceremony in Central Hall. President, vice-president and prime minister had expressed serious concern over impact of ruckus on parliamentary proceedings.